Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Not so in-your-face birthday plate

I'm a bit nutty for numbers right now. Especially the kind that look just like they came off a military locker. The really gritty, industrial edge of the stencil is a perfect foil for the serenity of a sterile white plate. (These were a few mismatched ones that were destined for Goodwill.)

I wanted a birthday plate that didn't scream, "Happy Frilly Birthday on pastel plates flocked with balloons!" I wanted a plate that sort of read like a mystery. I wanted guests to see the numbers and wonder, "Hmm, should I ask what the numbers represent or should I already know... Hmmm?"

To make: get a pack of stencils from your local hardware store. Use any non-lead paint. Brush on your numbers-- I think an anniversary date would be really great. Let dry. To make your plate washable and clangable and fork-scrapable, Paint on a thin layer of polyurethane or go pick up a can of fancy bake-on clearcoat from your craft store.